Cleveland, Ohio – With welding technology changing to include digital power sources, robotic welding and virtual reality welding training, instructors increasingly are looking for ways to keep up with changes in technology and to supplement current curriculum. With this in mind, the Lincoln Electric team has created the first edition of SMAW welding training curriculum for the VRTEX® 360 virtual reality arc welding training system.

The New Lessons in Arc Welding Curriculum is based on AWS EG 2.0 (Guide for the Training of Welding Personnel: Level — Entry Welder) and is designed to offer an enhanced method of learning using traditional welding training projects, as well as virtual reality welding projects to give instructors flexibility in implementing the curriculum into their existing training programs. The VRTEX® New Lessons in Arc Welding Curriculum includes essential welding safety subjects for each student's learning pace. The curriculum is developed to supplement and enhance existing welding training programs.

The VRTEX® New Lessons in Arc Welding Curriculum offers tools to suit varying educational needs. For example, welding instructors may require modification to their lesson plans to allow average students to catch up with more advanced peers or to challenge students moving at a higher level and faster pace through the educational program. The design behind the VRTEX® curriculum makes it easy to move throughout the program in a flexible and effective method.

Welding educators can use the different levels and subject areas to mix and match lesson plans to effectively challenge a particular student. The program provides a supplemental series of videos, as well as a spiral-bound manual with detailed lessons, welding procedure specifications and photos.

With the addition of virtual reality welding, the classroom becomes a more interactive, exciting training environment. The VRTEX® 360 is a computer-based educational tool designed to allow students to practice their welding technique in an extremely realistic simulated environment and also allows a welding instructor to weld in the classroom and show examples of proper technique. The classroom environment also lets students virtually weld and have peers critique, support and interact throughout the learning process. The VRTEX® promotes the efficient and effective transfer of skills from the virtual training environment to the physical welding booth.

Welding students will experience engaging activities, real-world application exercises, supplemental videos and welding safety skill development activities. The traditional and virtual welding hands-on learning program will take them beyond theory and the welding lab where they will learn at a faster pace. It becomes a welding training experience.

The VRTEX® New Lessons in Arc Welding SMAW Curriculum (part number K3205-1) can be ordered by calling Lincoln Electric Automation at 1-888-935-3878. For more information about the VRTEX® virtual reality welding training program, please visit our website http://www.VRTEX360.com.

The Lincoln Electric Company, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc welding systems, fume control systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market.